


Unfinished Business

by sarahsharpe1231



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-04-19
Packaged: 2018-03-24 16:04:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3774862
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahsharpe1231/pseuds/sarahsharpe1231
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Barry goes back in time, the timeline he left is still in existence...for now. Post 1x15.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. "Protect Your Family"

**Author's Note:**

> Wrote this immediately after "Out of Time" aired! I've learned from many different TV shows and movies that, when dealing with time travel, until someone changes something, other timelines are still completely intact. Played with that idea as the timeline Barry left had A LOT going on! Wanted to know what happened next!

All of a sudden, he disappeared. The Flash was gone. ... _Barry_...was gone. Luckily, the wall of wind he created was enough to stop the tidal wave. The moment it hit shore, it dropped right back into the lake. Iris should've felt relieved, but her dad was still in danger. If Barry was here, he would've saved Joe before Mark could even blink, but he was nowhere to be found. It was almost as if he evaporated into thin air. Iris couldn't call Eddie. He had nothing against a weather-controlling metahuman. Iris was desperate, so she reached into Barry's duffel bag and pulled out his phone. She knew that he was on the phone with someone before he suited up who helped him figure out what to do, but she didn't catch the name. When Barry said it, she was still in a state of euphoria from their kiss. Iris pulled up his list of recent calls and was shocked by the name she found at the top: Caitlin Snow. Iris couldn't believe that Barry trusted someone with his secret that he only just met a few months ago when he didn't even trust his best friend...but her dad needed help. Iris pressed Caitlin's name and the phone started to ring.

"Barry?" Caitlin asked.

"No, Caitlin," Iris said. "It's Iris."

"Oh, hey," Caitlin said. "What's up?"

"Caitlin..." Iris said. "I know you know Barry's The Flash."

Caitlin didn't say anything for a few moments. Then she finally spoke.

"Iris, I am so sorry," Caitlin said. "But you have to know that it wasn't either of our decisions not to tell you."

"Look, I don't care whose decision it was," Iris said, "but Mardon still has my dad and Barry's gone."

"Gone?" Caitlin asked. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Iris said. "He was running and there was this flash of light....I don't know! He's gone! Listen, we'll find him later, but my dad's still in danger. Caitlin, what do I do?"

"Um... Well, Cisco created something called the Wizard's Wand," Caitlin said. "It basically makes Mardon powerless."

Iris started digging through the duffel bag.

"Is it a short techy-looking stick with blue lights?" Iris asked.

"Yeah," Caitlin said.

"Then I think I found it," Iris said.

"Iris!" Caitlin yelled.

"Yeah?" Iris asked.

"Be careful," Caitlin said.

"Thanks," Iris said and hung up the phone.

She zipped up the duffel bag and pulled it over her shoulder. Iris ran to the direction the tidal wave had come from--the other side of the lake. This time, she pulled out her own phone and pressed Eddie's name.

"Eddie?" Iris asked.

"Iris, are you okay?" Eddie asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Iris said. "Listen, I'm sending Mardon to my dad's house. Bring the entire force. Eddie, this guy's powerful and will kill you if you don't get to him first."

"Wait, Iris, what?" Eddie asked. "Iris, where's your dad?"

"Don't worry, okay, he's safe," Iris said. "Just be there in time."

"Okay," Eddie said, slightly confused. "Thanks."

"Of course," Iris said and stuffed the phone in her purse.

The closer she got to the dock, the more clearly she could see who was on it: Mark and someone handcuffed to a railing--her father. He looked bruised, broken, and beaten. Iris wanted to burst into tears, but had to stay strong if she was going to save him. Finally, she got within Mark's field of vision.

"Brave...stupid little girl," Mark said. "I expected the tidal wave to wipe you out, but having your daddy watch you die? That'll be more fun."

Mark lifted his hands and Iris lifted the wand.

"Not stupid enough to come unarmed," Iris said.

Mark dropped his hands.

"You want justice?" Iris asked. "This isn't the way to do it."

"You don't know what it's like to lose family," Mark said.

"I don't?" Iris asked. "I lost my mother to cancer when I was six. I know _exactly_ what it's like to lose family."

"Here's the difference, sweetheart," Mark said. "You couldn't blame anyone for that. I have my victim right here."

"No, you don't," Iris said

"What do you mean?" Mark asked.

"My dad didn't kill your brother," Iris said. "It was The Flash."

"And how could you possibly know that?" Mark asked.

"I'm a reporter. He's my star subject," Iris said. "I talked to him the night Clyde died. _He_ killed him and gave the credit to my dad, making him a hero for saving the city from your brother's path of destruction. If you want to avenge Clyde's death, kill him and let my father go. He's an innocent man."

Mark stared at Joe, taking the offer into consideration.

"Where would I find him?" Mark asked.

"3352 Maplewood Drive," Iris said. "Don't worry, I didn't tell him I'm sending you. I value my father's life way more than his. And hey, 'Flash Dead'? It'll make one hell of a headline."

Mark started to walk away when Iris stopped him.

"Mark!" she yelled. "The key?"

Mark dropped the key in Joe's lap and got into his truck. He hit the gas and sped away. Iris kneeled down to her father and pulled away the duct tape covering his mouth. She then immediately went for the handcuffs.

"Iris, sweetie," Joe said, "you have no idea what you just did."

"Don't worry," Iris said, "The entire force is at the house. I'm banking on the element of surprise. But, right now, we need to get you to a hospital. Okay? That leg does not look good!"

"Iris!" Joe yelled, grabbing his daughter's face with his now free hands. "Where is The Flash?"

"He's...gone," Iris said.

"What?" Joe asked, looking terrified.

"He was running along the shore to stop the tidal wave and he disappeared into some...vortex?" Iris said, trying to make some sense of what she saw. "I don't know! But, Dad, there's something I need to tell you. The Flash...he's..."

"Barry, I know," Joe said, interrupting his daughter.

Iris' racing heartbeat almost came to a stop. She couldn't believe what just came out of her father's mouth.

"And you didn't tell me?" Iris asked, furious. "How long have you known?"

"Iris," Joe said, "I know you think what you just told Mardon was a lie...but it's actually not far from the truth."

"What are you talking about, Dad?" Iris asked.

"The night I killed Clyde," Joe said, "I saw The Flash for the first time. Mardon's brother also had powers similar to his. Eddie and I got to his barn and Eddie got knocked out by a tornado Clyde was creating. Barry got there just in time to unravel it and I shot Clyde. Barry revealed his identity to me and I made him promise never to tell you...to keep you safe."

"Dad," Iris said, "you discovered Clyde was still alive not long after Barry woke up from the coma. There's a reason he wears a lightning bolt on his chest, isn't there?"

"Impossible, right?" Joe asked with a smile.

"If there's anything that's impossible," Iris said, "it's the fact that I couldn't see my best friend through that mask."

"It's not your fault, sweetie," Joe said, wiping away Iris' stray tears.

Iris wanted to give her dad the tightest hug she'd ever given him, but didn't want to break any more of his bones.

"Dad, I don't know where Barry is," Iris said, "and it's scaring me to death."

"Don't worry," Joe said. "We'll find him."

"No, wait!" Iris said. "You're injured. I'm calling 9-1-1."

Iris pulled her phone out once again, but before she could pull up the keypad, her dad lowered the phone.

"Iris," Joe said, "go to S.T.A.R. Labs and talk to Dr. Wells. He'll know where to find Barry."

"Okay," Iris said, nodding her head accordingly.

She then dialed the three digits and put her phone up to her ear.

"Hello? 9-1-1?" Iris asked. "My father needs an ambulance."

Iris reached out and squeezed Joe's hand. At least she knew that one man she loved was going to be okay.


	2. "You're him. The Reverse Flash."

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iris and Caitlin learn the truth about "Dr. Harrison Wells".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was kind of really upset that we never saw Caitlin find out that Cisco died. So, I wrote about it. Enjoy this overload of feels. (Again, this was written immediately after "Out of Time".)
> 
> PS: FREAKED OUT when Thawne said "time will tell" in "Rogue Time"! Guess I'm just that good. ;)

Iris pulled up to S.T.A.R. Labs and got out of her car. She ran inside the building and headed straight for the elevator. When the doors opened, she pressed the number 6 and tried to calm her breathing. She was anxious to talk to the man she was currently investigating, but decided to take the risk. Barry needed his help. The doors opened on Level 6 and Iris got off the elevator. Slowly, she made her way to the cortex. That room brought up nothing but bad memories: Barry in a coma, lying there, still as stone, for months. Iris remembered thinking as she sat beside her best friend that she couldn't bear losing anyone else close to her. However, she now realized that it was _because_ of the particle accelerator explosion and that cursed lightning that her dad and Eddie were still alive. Barry had decided to use his new abilities to do good and save lives. Recognizing the comfort in that helped Iris know that wherever Barry was, he was safe. Iris turned the corner and expected to see the scientist in his wheelchair sitting behind his desk, working on his computer. Instead, she saw something that she'd seen numerous times, but never before in that room: Barry's suit on a mannequin set up in the back of the room. She walked toward it and placed her hand over the emblem. She traced the lightning bolt with her fingers and smiled. It finally clicked: the people Iris always heard The Flash talking to in his earpiece were Cisco, Caitlin, and Dr. Wells. They'd been helping him save the city. Making its way toward her, quickly getting louder, were the sound of footsteps and heaving breaths. Iris turned around and saw Caitlin, face and eyes blood red and tears streaming down her cheeks. She stopped when she saw Iris.

"Iris?" Caitlin said. "What are you doing here?"

Iris noticed that Caitlin's voice was almost completely gone. No doubt she'd been screaming. Iris was afraid to know what about.

"I just came to see Dr. Wells," Iris said. "Is everything okay? What happened?"

"Cisco," Caitlin said. "He... he..."

Iris raced over to Caitlin. She was about to break down.

"Cisco what?" Iris asked. "Caitlin, tell me."

A few shuddered breaths escaped Caitlin before she finally had the courage to look into Iris' eyes and speak.

"...He's dead," Caitlin said.

Iris' eyes widened.

"What?" Iris asked. "How? I mean, are you sure?"

"He's not breathing, Iris!" Caitlin said furiously.

She stormed past Iris and went straight to her computer.

"And I don't know how," Caitlin said. "I checked his entire body. No points of penetration or blood anywhere. It's like his heart just stopped beating."

Caitlin pulled up video footage of the containment room from earlier that day. Cisco was working on a laptop when, all of a sudden, the Reverse Flash appeared in the force field and started the recite the words she heard him say only a few months earlier right before he beat up Dr. Wells. This time it was Caitlin whose eyes widened.

"That's impossible," she said.

"Who is that?" Iris asked.

Caitlin turned around to face her.

"That's the man who killed Barry's mom," she said.

Iris' jaw dropped. She heard Barry talk about 'the man in the lightning' for 15 years and, even when The Flash started appearing, she still had some doubt in her mind that this man wasn't a myth, but here he was, standing tall in a yellow suit with demonic red eyes. All of a sudden, the footage cut off and Caitlin started to panic.

"What the hell?" she asked, frantically trying to get the footage back up.

"Hello, ladies," Caitlin and Iris heard a familiar voice say behind them.

They both turned around and saw Dr. Wells _standing_ in the doorway. Iris was in shock. Caitlin was trying to hold in her rage.

"What happened to Cisco?" Caitlin asked glaring at her mentor.

"Heart failure," Wells answered. "Just tragic."

There was no sign of sympathy or humanity in his eyes. Only ice cold barbarity enhanced by his light blue irises.

"You're him," Iris said. "The man in yellow?"

"Very good, Ms. West," Wells said.

"Reporter's intuition," Iris responded.

Caitlin stepped closer to Wells and was crying once again.

"You murderded Cisco?" Caitlin asked.

"He was being...problematic," Wells answered.

"I can't believe this," Caitlin said. "We trusted you. We _believed_ in you, all three of us, and you _lied_ straight to our faces _every single day_."

"For your own good, Dr. Snow," Wells responded.

"You son of a..." Caitlin started to say, but was interrupted by Iris.

"Where's Barry?" she asked.

"More like 'when'," Wells said.

"What are you talking about?" Iris asked.

"Mr. Allen," Wells said, "well, he just traveled a day back in time."

"You can't be serious," Iris said.

"You saw it with your own eyes, Iris," Wells said.

"I don't understand," Iris said, insanely confused. "Is that even possible?"

"One thing you should've learned from Barry, Ms. West," Wells said, "is that nothing is impossible."

"What does that mean?" Caitlin asked. "Barry's _stuck_ in the past? How do we get him back?"

"We don't," Wells said.

"Excuse me?" Iris asked.

"You see," Wells said, "in a few minutes, the timeline will reset and, because of Mr. Allen's actions, everything will be different."

A smile appeared on his face.

"You won't remember who I... _really_...am," Wells said.

"I will never forget what you did to Cisco or the monster that you are," Caitlin said.

"My dear, sweet Caitlin," Wells said, wiping away her tears, "I'm afraid you won't have much choice about that."

Caitlin turned her face and stepped back.

"I hate you," she said. "I hate who you are and everything you stand for. You may have saved Ronnie's life, but that doesn't excuse _any_ of your other heinous crimes. You're a horrendous human being and I will _not_ allow myself to be deceived by you anymore."

Caitlin grabbed her purse and stormed out of the room. Iris was left alone and terrified, but allowed herself not to show any fear.

"So, what now?" Iris asked.

"Only time will tell," Wells answered.

The last thing Iris saw before everything went black were two demonic red eyes staring back at her, holding a promise of a horrifying future.


End file.
